1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a system for providing restraint to the abdominal area of a patient in response to physiological conditions associated with onset of a cough or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The strain of coughing, sneezing or the like can have deleterious and painful effects on the patient suffering from injuries or illness in the trunk area of the patient's body, particularly the abdominal area. For instance, for a patient recovering from abdominal surgery, the strain of a cough or sneeze can often break or loosen the sutures. As set forth in an article by Donald Barlow, entitled "A Cough-Belt to Prevent and Treat Post-Operative Pulmonary Complication" and appearing at page 736 of the Oct. 3, 1964 issue of the Lancet, other patients who suffer from the strain of coughing and the like include those with fractured ribs or other chest ailments.
In this article, Barlow has recommended a "cough-belt" to alleviate this problem. The cough-belt is to be worn by the patient around his abdominal area to restrain excessive body movement in the abdominal or chest area during a cough or the like. This belt is manually adjustable to fit patients of different abdominal size, but no means are provided for automatic adjustment immediately prior to or during the cough. Accordingly, the degree of restraint during the cough can be no greater than that which is tolerable to the patient during non-coughing. Nontheless, in order to achieve the requisite amount of restraint during a cough, it may be necessary to make the belt tighter around the patient during the non-coughing periods than is comfortable for the patient. On the other hand, in order to make the belt comfortable to the patient during non-coughing periods, it may be required to have the belt looser than would be optimally desired during a cough.
While no solution is proposed for this problem, patents are known in which automatic adjustments to a belt-like device on a patient may be made. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,077,402 of Benjamin, the pressure of an inflatable cuff for promoting blood circulation is controlled in accordance with sensed heartbeat and blood flow. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,683,655 of White et al, a respiratory belt is shown in which the inflation (exhalation) cycle is initiated by means of an electronic controller. The controller pressurizes the belt in response to the patient's exhalation sensed by a microphone in the path of his oral or nasal passageway. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,976,056 of Brawn, a pressure stocking for a leg is pressurized by body movements which compress a primary air sac attached to the patient's body. The air is forced out of the primary air sac by means of small diameter tubes or valves.
Other references disclose inflatable belts in which the inflation of the belt is rythmically varied to assist the patient's breathing. See, for instance, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,899,955 of Huxley III et al; 3,454,000 to Bird et al; and 3,481,327 to Drennen.
Reference may also be had to U.S. Pat. No. 3,278,185 of Bidopia for an example of a mechanically adjustable belt. An exercise belt is provided with a spring agaist which the wearer exercises his abdominal muscles.